Inside private pro-Jeremy Corbyn Facebook group where militant lefties claim nerve agent attack was carried out by British government to hurt Labour leader

A Facebook group supportive of the Labour leader in which supporters discuss politics and current events has been plagued by bizarre conspiracy theories, while others encourage users to shun the British media and instead watch the pro-Kremlin Russia Today

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By John Shammas

14th March 2018, 11:40 am

Updated: 14th March 2018, 2:34 pm

MEMBERS of a pro-Corbyn Facebook group have claimed the poisoning of a Russian double agent was carried out by the British government in a bid to discredit their leader.

The Sun Online can reveal that a private Facebook group, which boasts more than 28,000 members, sees hundreds of Corbynistas back Russia against the UK in the tense diplomatic dispute.

Many within the group have defended Putin - despite our PM saying it was highly likely that Russian agents were behind the attack on British soil

Many users who are members of the group brag about their Labour-supporting credentials - having changed their profile pictures to logos which read: "Proud to vote Labour."

One user also singled out Labour MP Chris Leslie, who was slammed by members of the group for supporting Mrs May's condemnation of Russia in the House of Commons on Monday.

The post read: "Nice one Chris Leslie!

"You're supposed to be a Labour MP yet you back Theresa May in the Commons over her hasty and unfounded attack on Russia for the recent nerve agent attack - as yet unproven [...] go and join the Tories.

Several members of the group appear to prefer the pro-Kremlin channel RT for coverage on the incident

Another member of the group said: "There is no proof Russia had anything to do with this attempted murder that happened just up the road from the UK chemical weapons lab.

"More likely MI6/MI5 or CIA."

One said: "As for the alleged murder attempt on a Russian spy on the British government's payroll, there is not a single shred of evidence pointing to the Russians. Merely conjecture by the government and msm [mainstream media].

Other users said that the "British media" were trying to "spin anything to fit their narrative", adding: "If you don't believe everything they say about Jeremy and Labour, why would you believe everything they say about foreign nations?"

There is no suggestion that Jeremy Corbyn is involved in the group. A Labour spokesman declined to comment.

Mr Corbyn told MPs: "We need to continue seeking a robust dialogue with Russia on all the issues dividing our countries, both domestic and international - rather than simply cutting off contact and simply letting tensions and divisions get worse, and potentially even more dangerous."

He was met with cries of "shame" and "disgrace".

Theresa May skewers Jeremy Corbyn over his Communist spy links as they face off at PMQs

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Mr Corbyn’s soft response to Russia would simply encourage Putin to “engage in further acts of state sponsored terror”.

Labour MPs also took turns to rebuke Mr Corbyn.

In an extraordinary attack on his own leader, Labour backbencher John Woodcock fumed: “It would put our national security at significant risk if we were led by anyone who did not understand the gravity of the threat Russia poses to this nation.”

But posts in the Facebook group - which describes itself as wanting to get Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell "into No 10 and 11" - remain staunchly behind the leader despite criticism that he is soft on Russia.

"[...] What happened to innocent till proven guilty? Already people are believing this government! Well more fool you".

Several members also criticise the BBC and other mainstream broadcasters for their coverage of the incident.

A supporter said that "the current news is making me sick! I just can't listen to it anymore - except RT [Russia Today]".

Jeremy Corbyn and a number of allies and MPs including Jeremy McDonnell, Ken Livingstone and Chris Williamson have been regular guests on the pro-Kremlin channel.

The broadcaster has been warned that it could lose its UK broadcasting license if "there was an unlawful use of force by the Russian State against the UK".

HOW PRO-KREMLIN MEDIA THREW ITS WEIGHT BEHIND JEREMY CORBYN

In 2015 Russian-funded TV channel RT (formerly Russia Today) and news agency Sputnik threw their weight behind Mr Corbyn's Labour leadership bid and then repeated the support for him in last year's election.

RT was founded by President Putin in 2005 and is regarded as a Kremlin propaganda network by critics in the west.

Following the poisoning of Mr Skripal MPs have warned the station could lose its UK broadcast licence if Russia was found to be behind the attack.

And researchers have told told that while Corbyn was not a conscious actor in 2015 he was supported by Russian state media because "many of his views" echoed those of the Kremlin's.

They include his "opposition to the renewal of Trident" and "criticism of the U.S." which "chime closely with Moscow's own strategic narrative of a weak, decadent and divided West, and are therefore useful to validate the Kremlin's views."

The experts - Ben Nimmo of US think tank the Atlantic Council and Dr Jonathan Eyal of defence group RUSI - said to Parliament in the case of Russian TV there was "clear and systematic RT bias in favour of Corbyn" in 2015.

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